Remnants of the Past

The break of a new day basks over the fields of the farming village of Kabhan, the fields of wheat and the native Leomne Grass swaying in the cold wind blowing from the North. Villagers would go about their day, tending to their fields and livestock. A small plume of smoke coming from the neighbouring forest on the border between the nation of Krontenb and the Northern Province of Derzhab. The plume of smoke belonged to some charcoal burners next to the river that flowed through the forest. It was a usually sight to see and the traders from the village would leave at then end of every week to get the load of charcoal for the village.

Stavn would wake from his bed and go to the village elder to help with his duties, meeting the villagers on the way past. "Good Morning, Isaac!" Stavn said with a smile on his face laughing, Isaac turning to him "Its the middle of the afternoon you idiot, you better hurry to the elder before he beats your ass!" Isaac was a grisly old man that had a bad temperament, and contrasted with Stavn who because of his youth was more laid back and was care free. As he approached the elders house Stavn thought about the tasks that he would have to perform today, his mind blanking out as soon as he started thinking, more due to his lack of paying attention to things. He briskly entered the house closing the wooden door swiftly behind him.

"Stavn my boy, late as always..." An old man sat in a chair close to the fire pit in the center of the room. "Wonder why that always is." He stood and grabbed Stavn's shoulder and began to laugh with Stavn. Stavn quickly helping the elder sit back down with a smile on his face, "You know I can't help it, anyways what do you need me to do today old man." Still smiling and standing next to the elder with his hands placed firmly behind his back.

"OLD MAN IS IT!" before breaking into laughter together, "Well this old man needs you to count the sacks of grain we have and compare them to those of yesterday... You need to help clean the stables, and you also need to help me with the troubles the villagers possess." The elders croaky voice cutting abruptly with his head twisting to Stavn. Stavn would nod and head to the door, swinging it open and walking out leaving it open for the village scout. He went about his duties as fast as he could and returned to his house where he fell asleep for the night.

Alarms rung through the village as the elder called for those willing to help to gather near him. Pales were handed out as large plume of smoke filled the sky over the forest, thinking it was just an accidental fire started by the charcoal burners people were sent to the forest to help if there was a fire as a precaution. The smoke continued to rise an hour later until it finally stopped, but there was no sign of anyone returning. A few more hours passed to see if anyone would come back before people spotted figures appearing from the forest. The clothes they wore resembled nothing that could've been made in the village. Then behind the figures grew giants and they started to seep out from the forest, the light of the sunset hitting their shadowed bodies as they emerged from it. Masks of bone covered their faces as if the dead had risen. Alarm bells went off yet again and the slow march proceeded into a sprint as the giants turned to men on horses. They reached the village within seconds, Stavn ran to the elder in attempts to help, the elder quickly grabbing Stavn and thrusting a note into his hand.

He pulled Stavn to the stables and force him upon his horse, "You must ride to the capital of our province and hand this to the captain of the guard, let them know what has happened. This will also give you permission to join the Military School you wanted to join all these years. NOW GO!" Without a second thought Stavn rode off on his horse a soldier riding past slashing his sword across his chest as he exited the stable, slicing his chest open slightly.

Stavn shot up in his bed covered in sweat the fear of his past haunting him for the past few years. His darkened silver hair would illuminate in the moons gaze, a scar across his chest from where a soldier has cut him when he made his escape from the village on horseback carrying a note from his village elder concerning Stavn himself. Since then Stavn was enrolled in a school designed to breed soldiers and leaders. The cut off measured between a childs will and qualities, since he began his training Stavn was considered by his classmates to be one of the best when it came to one-on-one combat, and found his leadership to be lenient and more laid back. For that reason Stavn missed the cut off to be given special initiation as one of the selected few who would receive specific training from higher ranks. He was deemed to be too relaxed and would often lose mock battles due to his arrogance against superior opponents.

As Stavn rested his head against his pillow he reminded himself on why he is here and what he actually had in mind, before he fell asleep. He arose the next morning to bells ringing and his roommate Kane sprinting to get dressed.

"Ugh.... Kane why are you always so frantic?", Stavn's voice muffled as his face sunk into the pillow.

Kane glanced at Stavn quickly and quickly replied, "Unlike you, I want to actually be something someday, how about you actually try and make class on time for once?" Kane raced out the room door it slamming closed. Stavn rose from up in his bed, swinging his legs around and planting his feet onto the stone brick floor, the freezing cold night had caused them to be especially cold this morning, as the hairs on his body shot up from the chill.

Sitting on the edge of his bed Stavn stretched his arms across his chest to help wake himself up before proceeding to pull on his cloth shirt, tying the laces at the top together. After pulling on his black dyed cloth trousers, he pulled on the coat given to him by the school to wear and slowly headed to class, the door swinging closed as he exited his room.

"I missed breakfast again....", he thought to himself as he walked down the corridor to the exit of the boys dorms. He walked across the stone path that shot towards the school building as more students went about their business, most being first years at the school, learning basic sword fighting and shield work. As he walked his slow pace towards the building panting from behind caught his attention as a girl with dark brown hair ran at full speed past him towards the building.

She was a classmate of his, who was almost always late but would somehow manage to turn up in time, she wasn't a direct friend of his but he respected her skill in leadership, though she did tend to be more biased against him and more critical of him when it came to class evaluations where everyone in the class would be given a partner to help develop by giving them ideas. As he came up to the building a second series of bells rang, meaning class had started. As he entered the building Stavn was pulled aside by another teacher.

"Yet again, I find you here and not in class.... Do you not understand how to get up in the morning Stavn!? Why don't you take after your roommate Kane and actually try and attend class on time for once?" His voice becoming more irritated with every word spoken, his face broad and his stomach broader. This particular teacher was classified as the most strict at the school, and was mainly used to teach leadership and tactics to students, since under all that he pretended to be he was a coward that ran from the army during a battle and was sentenced to teach students at the school as his punishment. Thought the punishment was a let off because of his ties to the royal family that made a plea for lesser action to be taken because of the situation that had developed.

Maintaining a steady pace, Stavn headed toward his classroom, the halls empty as he reached the room door. He entered the room to find everyone still standing, and all glowering at him as he stepped in.

"STAVN! Glad you could join us.... as punishment for your tardiness the whole class shall suffer for you as you sit." The teacher pointing to Stavn's seat next to Kane, Stavn would proceed to walk through the class to his seat, with a smirk on his face as he sat on the chair. A hour passed of no work and everyone was eventually allowed to sit down.

"As of today, Stavn's punishments will be class punishments, so perhaps you all might like to thank him for it. Anyways, we're going to be conducting more hand to hand combat training today until the bell. Partners have been decided based on skill and talent, also todays training we will be joined by the special training class that far proceed most of your abilities. So everyone up and make your way to the training yard!"

In the training yard the class lined up facing into the center opposite from the special training class across from them, their numbers were less than Stavn's class and uneven. Due to Stavn's already long established combat ability over others in his class he was matched with one of the special class members. In a sort of punishment aswell but Stavn saw this as his chance to prove that he was better than them, those who he once called friends during the induction year of the school. A burning hatred built out of jealousy of their position had been stowed inside Stavn for multiple years, refreshed by the teachers constant praise for how good they were and how that everyone would follow under them.

"Good to see you again Stavn... I do hope you have been training hard to follow me when we're done here..." a girls voice bouncing around his head as the person he was matched with stood next to him. A girl with blonde shoulder length hair and emerald green eyes. About the same height as Stavn who stood at 5'10 but she was definitely the smaller of the two in his mind. During the induction year they were really close together, becoming good friends with Stavn harbouring feelings for her till she made the cut whilst he missed out.

"I don't know about you Ash but Im taking this seriously, and you should too. Since your a part of the special class and all... Or are you just trying to talk big knowing that I can very well beat you one handed." A smile on his face as he talked slowly moving a few paces back preparing himself to spar, hopping on the spot to pump himself up, before moving into a defensive position his eyes focused more than ever on her. Ash laughed as she stepped back and got ready to spar. Both would slowly move in on each other both with their arms raised to protect themselves. Ash would quickly move to strike first with her left hand, her usual way of starting. Stavn quickly pivoted with right leg to avoid her punch before grabbing her arm and thrusting it into a arm lock. Stavn then proceeded to quickly take her to ground and subdue her.

"Like I said, you should take this seriously Ash, because I am better than you in every way..." The teachers quickly noting the speed that Stavn took her down with. The pair proceeded to spar for the rest of the time allotted to them, going back and forth learning new things from each other like they did in the past. The bells rung for dinner and everyone headed to the mess hall, the special class sat together by themselves on the table that is kept for them whilst the other classes of the school are allowed to mix and share tables and speak to each other. Nothing usually happens at dinner, Stavn would keep to himself and not usually speak leaving the hall as soon as hes finished and heading to class.

The next class and last class of the day begun, a class on tactics in which the kids are berated with different situations to work around and figure out the most plausible method of defeating their enemies. Half way through the class Stavn was pulled outside by the teacher and head of the school. In the office the schools head teacher sat Stavn down letting his teacher return to the class to teach more.

"So Stavn, late in the morning and early in the afternoon.... It just seems odd that you cant manage to get both to be early at your age." The headteachers arms crossed across the table, his eyes analysing Stavn's every movement.

"Well sir, I would say I try in that degree, but I really don't. Its more became habit for me since I feel less motivated...." Stavn's eyes shooting to the floor in a kind of embarrassment at himself for being the way he is.

"Well your induction year you seemed to be motivated and ever since then you've fallen off into this thing you've become. At a time we were considering kicking you out of this school... but our minds have been changed by something today." The headteachers eyes staring into Stavn, making him feel uneasy. "Today you beat a student of the special class in a hand to hand sparring match, this is from your teacher... BUT! Not only did you beat her, you did so convincingly and within your first few moves. It says here, with recommendation to get him out of my class and into a better environment for him to be better and become more motivated. You are to be given permission to join the special class." His words echoed in Stavn's mind a smile breaking on Stavn's face as he looked up at the headteacher. "Do you know the reason the special class has odd numbers just now Stavn? Its because unfortunately one of the students in it died, he was bludgeoned to death by a serial killer a week ago. They found his body beside the butchers."

Stavn not focusing on the death of the student stood from his chair and smiled "Im going to join that class.... and IM! Going to prove that I WAS ALWAYS BETTER!" He grabbed the paper that was lying on the table with his name on it, with his new room number and class number. Laughing "Ill prove it to you that you were wrong about me!"

The headteacher smiled slightly at the remarks, "Stavn be careful about what you do from now on, we don't want another student dying and tarnishing the name of the school..." But before he could end Stavn had already walked out of the room and closed the door. He quickly ran to his dorm room and began to gather his belongings. Once he packed his things he headed towards his new dorm with new goals in mind.

When he entered the dorm, the place was made of marble, like a palace, he was quickly led to his room and left to his own devices. Stavn took it upon himself to head downstairs to see what there was in the dorms. Bathing house for separate genders that acted more like a sauna than a bath, a breakfast hall with a small table and 8 chairs spread around it, it had a bowl of fruit in its center(grapes, apples and bananas), a social room with a sofa that acted like a sort of round table. This is where the rest of the class were for the night, Stavn slowly entering the room feeling no animosity at all for once.

"Ah, Stavn good of you to join us, suppose you remember us all don't you," a tall burly lad stood from his seat with a smile. His hair dark brown that curled down his back, his eyes piercing anything they gazed upon, hazelnut in colour. His name Roek (Row-ek), next to him was Ash who didnt look at Stavn at all, perhaps she was embarrassed that she lost Stavn thought. The rest in order of names and seating went; Alex (A red headed girl with deep blue azure eyes, her freckled face was one that you couldn't put on anyone else, she was more timid than the rest but was built up as the strongest leader of them all), on her right Mak (short lad with a lot to prove is what most deemed him as, his black hair was noticeable from anywhere as he usually cut the sides shorter than the top and always ended up looking like a monk), Lena (a nice girl with a warm heart, one of the few seen as lucky to make the special class as she was afraid to take risks, but with that she was more cognitive than anyone else in the room). The rest of the class were in their rooms asleep.

"I guess its good to see you all again.... I just wanted to come down to say that if your here to stop me, don't. If your here to help me, don't care. That and hello." Stavn went upstairs to his room. He lay on his bed for a good few hours contemplating the position he was in and proceeded to think himself to sleep.